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Show -5- The average size of the private farms in the project is 120 acres. The average annual rainfall over the irrigable area is 2y2 inches and its elevation above sea level is from 100 to 300 feet. Dry farming is not possible. The climate is semitropical, though temperatures below freezing have occurred. All the lands in this project except the mesa lands are "valley" lands of great depth and richness, and it is expected that they will produce alfalfa, grains of all kinds, pears, dates, figs, apricots, melons, citrus fruits, vegetables, grapes, small fruits and berries, and cotton. By proper alternation two or more crops a year can be grown. From 5 to 7 cuttings of alfalfa per year are usual. At the present time this is the only single crop of consequence, there being 1,500 acres devoted to it. In 1909 the gross value of the crops on the 7,000 acres irrigated by pumping was $87 per acre. Lands are now worth from $50 to $100 per acre without water, and land in alfalfa is selling at from $150 to $200 per acre. Citrus-fruit lands will be much higher. The mesa lands are especially adapted to these fruits. There would seem to be no question but that the land will be able to bear the construction cost, and this was emphatically so stated at the public meeting, the main desire of all being the early completion of the work. 7. Drainage is necessary in some parts of the project, for which the United States will construct only the main ditches. Levees, as stated above, are necessary along the Gila and the Colorado Rivers to prevent overflow. The cost of both the drainage and the levees is included in the estimates of the cost of completion. 8. Lands now irrigated.-In the Yuma Indian Reservation there are 700 Indians. The law gives each Indian 5 acres, or a total of 3,500 acres, leaving 12,500 acres for |
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Original book: [State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California, defendants, United States of America, State of Nevada, State of New Mexico, State of Utah, interveners] : California exhibits. |